Wednesday 28 March 2012

Internet use and depression among older adults

an article by Shelia R. Cotten and Timothy M. Hale (University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA), George Ford (Phoenix Center for Advanced Legal & Economic Public Policy Studies, Washington DC) and Sherry Ford (University of Montevallo, USA) published in Computers in Human Behavior Volume 28 Issue 2 (March 2012)

Abstract

The findings regarding the impact of Internet use on well-being are mixed and studies are often criticized due to small samples and lack of consistency in measurement. Fewer studies have examined this issue among older adults.

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between Internet use and depression among retired Americans age 50 years or older. Using data from the Health and Retirement Survey, the study estimates the relationship between Internet use and depression through combined use of regression and propensity score methodologies.

All empirical methods indicate a positive contribution of Internet use to mental well-being of retired older adults, reducing depression categorization by approximately 20–28%.


No comments: